Instead of losing Opening Day starter Henderson Alvarez to a season-ending injury, the 2014 All-Star right-hander was placed on the 15-day disabled list after an MRI revealed inflammation in both his shoulder and elbow, manager Mike Redmond said.

In the meantime, David Phelps, who left on paternity leave Monday, will take Alvarez’s next turn in the rotation and start against the Mets on Friday in New York, Redmond said.

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“I think right now it’s more calming down the inflammation and getting [Alvarez] feeling good and healthy,” Redmond said.

“How long [will he be out]? I don’t know. That’s kind of the unknown right now. It’s really up to him and how quickly he feels better. We’re going to make sure that he feels good and confident before he goes out and pitches again.

“If he can’t pitch for a couple weeks but ends up finishing the season strong, that’s good not only for him but us.”

It’s the third time in Alvarez’s career he has gone to the disabled list with shoulder inflammation. He missed the first half of the 2013 season and then served a 15-day DL stint last August. Both times, though, he returned and pitched well.

“Hopefully, it’s just a short-term absence,” pitcher Tom Koehler said. “We don’t need anybody stepping up and doing anything differently. As long as everyone does what they’re capable of doing, we should be all right.”

Top prospect Jose Urena, who went 13-8 with a 3.33 ERA in DoubleA last season, was among four players called up from TripleA New Orleans on Monday to replace Alvarez, Phelps, utility man Don Kelly (broken finger) and backup catcher Jeff Mathis (broken hand).

Catcher J.T. Realmuto, utility man Reid Brignac and reliever Carter Capps also were brought up to spell the others. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Marlins transferred right-hander Aaron Crow — out for the season after Tommy John surgery — to the 60-day disabled list.

Redmond said Urena will fill in for Phelps as a long reliever. “Hopefully we won’t need it,” Redmond said.

CAPPS CLARIFICATION

Capps, who has 88 major-league appearances as a reliever, ran into a strange situation in the minors Thursday when umpires ruled his first two pitches of the season illegal because he “disengaged from the pitching rubber too soon.”

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The Marlins sought a clarification and Capps said he shouldn’t have any issues moving forward.

“They said I just have to drag my foot and make sure I don’t get too elevated in the air and make sure there is more on a lateral plane,” said Capps, who has an unorthodox delivery. “As long as I do that, they have no problem with it.

“[The delivery] doesn’t look pretty, obviously. But that’s the first time anybody had a blatant problem with it.’’